Actor Sheds 44 Pounds for Haunting New Role

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Over the course of two years, Tahar Rahim, a renowned French actor, has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis to embody two strikingly contrasting characters: Charles Aznavour, the legendary French-Armenian singer, and Amine, a man battling drug addiction who is struggling with a perplexing illness.

The final performance propels Julia Ducournau’s allegorical drama “Alpha,” which had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night, receiving a prolonged 11-minute standing ovation.

16 years following his groundbreaking role in Jacques Audiard’s Cannes-winning thriller “A Prophet,” Rahim underwent a remarkable transformation, most notably in “The Serpent” where he portrayed the ruthless serial killer Charles Sobhraj. However, in “Alpha,” he took it to another level. He shed an impressive 20 kilos (equivalent to 44 pounds) for the part, allowing him to connect with his character, Amine, not only physically but also emotionally.

In his own words, Rahim shares, “Julia didn’t explicitly ask me to push it to such extremes, but she wanted authenticity.” He is the lead actor in the movie, joined by Golshifteh Farahani, an Iranian actor, and Melissa Boros, a rising talent. When he took on this role, he knew that for it to feel genuine and natural, it required undergoing a genuine physical transformation. Speaking with conviction from the poolside bar of the Majestic Hotel mere hours after his first interview about the film, he said so.

It required him three and a half months to lose the weight, during which time he discovered the fortitude to advocate for the biopic “Monsieur Azanavour,” starring Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade. The role of Aznavour, demanding him to learn a new way of singing, speaking, and moving, eventually led to his nomination for this year’s Cesar Award in the best actor category. This movie, produced by Eric and Nicolas Altmayer, as well as Jean-Rachid Kallouche, like “Alpha,” was one of the biggest local hits of 2024, selling over 2 million tickets.

For Rahim, playing Aznavour was an intimidating task, but working on “Alpha” proved to be his most spiritually fulfilling experience in his career. As he explains, “When you reach that state of scarcity, it takes you to a place, a sort of spiritual realm where you feel connected, for me, it was with God, as I am a believer, and with the universe.

The film, based on a fictional city, was filmed in Le Havre. This setting enabled actor Leila Bekhti to maintain his character, as it would have been challenging with his family residing in Paris. He expresses that having a room overlooking the ocean intensified his connection with nature, as he had never felt the wind and water so profoundly before. Everything seemed more vivid and striking to him.

His transition into being Amine resulted in an unusual addiction and routine, which manifested as a craving for pistachios and cherry tomatoes. “I was following a strict diet,” he explains, chuckling, “but I could eat cherry tomatoes and pistachios within specific limits at a particular time each evening. When I discovered myself short on these treats one or two times, I hopped onto my scooter and cruised around town at night to satisfy my desire.

Inquired about his thoughts on using AI or editing software to enhance his appearance rather than undergoing the process personally, Rahim unequivocally states: “Absolutely not, even if given a billion chances. It could be detrimental mentally. I’d never resort to such means.

The actor not only offered his services to an organization named Gaia, which aids disadvantaged individuals, including those battling addictions. He shares that he was tutored by two individuals who enlightened him about the feelings evoked by drugs and even permitted him to witness their practices. “I had the opportunity to observe them, learn quickly from their gestures, their speech, their movements, and everything else. It all contributed to creating my character,” he says. “Next, you must fully dive into the director’s realm to infuse that cinematic flair and emotion that lets you wander, return, and create new things,” Rahim explains, who was a member of the Cannes jury in 2021.

In much the same way that he found himself moved by Ducournau’s compassionate and non-judgmental portrayal of Amine in the film “Alpha,” he was deeply affected by Gaia’s work. He notes that it provides a sanctuary for these vulnerable individuals, where they are heard, where they matter, because they are essentially invisible on the streets, they’re ill and none of them chose to be there.

He quickly developed a strong connection with Ducournau as they began working on the movie. “I had never experienced anything like it before,” he admitted. “A magical moment occurred on the very first day. It was the first day of filming, the first scene, the first take,” Rahim explained. “I believe you truly understand a director during the first day of shooting.

He adds, “Finding a partnership like that is quite uncommon, but when it does occur, it truly feels like you can soar.

According to him, the screenplay for “Alpha” captivated him due to its being a personal family tale, yet one embedded with distinct visual cues reminiscent of genre movies. These visual cues are characteristic of Julia, making her an exceptional director, as he explains.

According to Rahim, Amine is not just an addict; he’s more like a “fallen angel whose wings have been clipped.” Despite his situation, Rahim believes that Amine “still has a purpose,” and for the actor, this mission revolves around liberating Alpha, who serves as the central character in the latter half of the movie. As they both break free, Amine, Alpha, and even Alpha’s mother (who grapples with guilt, fear, and grief) learn to let go, creating a storyline with numerous layers, explains Rahim.

Ducournau and Rahim found several shared characteristics, particularly in their work methods. As Rahim confesses, “Much like her, I can be quite compulsive when working.” Another commonality he points out is their filmmaking style: “Just as she immerses herself in her films, I immerse myself in my characters. There’s a strong physical and emotional component to it; I must delve into the body to reach the mind.

Rahim acknowledges that actors like Robert de Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, and Daniel Day-Lewis from the New Hollywood era of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as British actor Daniel Day Lewis, have been instrumental in inspiring him to pursue acting and continue influencing him. His deep love for American cinema propelled him into a unique career path, where he has consistently worked with foreign directors such as Ang Lee, Asghar Farhadi, Damien Chazelle, and Kevin Macdonald from the outset. In 2021, his performance in “The Mauritanian” garnered him BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations, along with other critical accolades. A year after that, he received another Golden Globe nomination for his role in “The Serpent.

The actor, filming “Prisoner,” directed by Matt Charman (known for writing “Bridge of Spies”), in Wales, shares that working both in the U.S. and the U.K. has given him unique insights because each location brings different cultural nuances, financial constraints, and creative stories to tell.

He admits that he finds it relatively easy to delve deep into the roles he plays, and attributes this skill to working on “series productions.” He explains that these projects are formative because they don’t allow for many retakes, so you have to act swiftly. Additionally, his preferred aspect of filming is what he refers to as his “improvisational style,” or freestyle.

When the director is satisfied with what we’ve produced and we’ve thoroughly examined all possibilities, ensuring everything works perfectly, then I can relax and experiment,” he explains. “This gives me the opportunity not just to propose a fresh perspective, but also to reconnect with the core of my job, which is enjoyable because it’s adult playtime. After all, I’m still a kid at heart,” he chuckles.

Following his role as “Prisoner,” Rahim will portray Inspector Javert in Fred Cavayé’s take on “Les Misérables.” This adaptation will see him working alongside Vincent Lindon, who plays Jean Valjean. The upcoming film promises to blend thriller elements with a faithful retelling of the classic novel, focusing on the intense confrontations between Javert and Valjean. Rahim explains that there are aspects of the book that have not been fully explored before, which they plan to expand upon, creating new interpretations yet unseen. He has also discussed the project and his role extensively with Cavayé.

He mentions that when discussing scripts with his directors, it should be similar to how he conversed with Julia and Fred. This is because, as he explains, “A script is the initial stage of a movie.” It’s meant to evolve on-screen, making it dynamic and ever-changing. Therefore, we can continually refine it or add new shades, variations in its appearance, throughout the process.

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2025-05-20 22:17